The Andhra and Telangana police continue to face off after a complaint by data analyst Lokeshwar Reddy alleged that IT Grids, a company which developed the Seva Mitra app for the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), stole data from the government database and processed it without consent. But now, the TDP has alleged that the Telangana government has used its police department to take the data of the Seva Mitra by seizing the hard disks of IT Grids in order to help Jagan Mohan Reddy's YSRCP.
Seva Mitra is an official app of the Telugu Desam Party, which it says it uses to connect with the 75 lakh members of the party and give them information.
After a complaint was filed against IT Grids, the company which developed the app, the Telangana police raided the office and reportedly seized laptops, hard disks and some other material. The company then filed a complaint in response to this complaint with the Andhra police.
“The TDP is making use of this data to analyse who are for and who are against the government and based on this analysis, they have deleted hundreds and thousands of names of voters,” Lokeshwar Reddy had alleged.
The complaint led to#TSGovtStealsData becoming a trending hashtag on Twitter, with the TDP alleging that this was the Telangana Rashtra Samiti’s doing to help TDP’s opponent, the Jagan Mohan Reddy-headed YSR Congress Party. This also led to a spat between Andhra Minister and Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu’s son Nara Lokesh and MLA and Telangana CM KT Rama Rao on Monday.
Using police force on innocent employees is just not cool Mr. @KTRTRS
— Telugu Desam Party (@JaiTDP) March 3, 2019
You have to answer your conscience one day and you'll be at loss of words #TSGovtStealsData
#TSGovtStealsData on the direction of TRS leaders, Telangana police raided a software company stole the data of #TeluguDesam party membership and other related details.
— Srikanth (@kollasreekanth) March 3, 2019
It's really not good.
— Buragadda Veda Vyas (@BuragaddaV) March 3, 2019
By employing devious means, Modi and KCR are daydreaming to make YS Jagan Chief Minister. Remember Newton’s Law: Dictator Modi’s direction. KCR’s plan of Action will get an equal and opposite reaction from the people! TRS Data Steal
#TSGovtStealsData pic.twitter.com/q4vEaMCBB4
Speaking to TNM, TDP Andhra spokesperson Sadineni Yamini alleged that whatever the TRS government did was “unconstitutional and unethical”.
“From our side, the TDP, this company has maintained our data for the last nine years. It is for the TDP, and we have not given anything. The YSRCP or TRS are alleging and propagating fake news that a particular company is holding the voter information of 3 crore people, which is absolutely false,” she said.
“The TRS government has stolen our data. They have taken the hard disk and server info without giving any prior information or notice to the company’s owner,” Yamini went on to add.
This, she said, was because the TRS and the BJP are trying to help the YSRCP chief Jagan Mohan Reddy.
“The TRS government has stolen our data and they have given this data to Jagan Mohan Reddy and the party. Our booth-level members are receiving calls from the party, asking them to move to the YSRCP, and that they will be treated well,” Yamini said.
She also alleged that the matter did not fall under Telangana’s jurisdiction.
“Telangana has no jurisdiction to take action or file FIR in this particular case. The YSRCP and the TRS are claiming that they have there is information of 3 crore people of Andhra. Then why didn't the Telangana govt, upon receiving a complaint from an individual, immediately contact the Andhra Election Commissioner or the Chief Election Commissioner?” she asked.
Furthermore, she went on to add that this showed that there is no safety of data for companies in Telangana, and that the TRS government has been attacking companies and industries from Andhra.